


From Illager to Villager

by VeeVeeTheArtist



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Minecraft Dungeons - Fandom
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Development, Gen, Illager, No orb of dominance, OC, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Racism, Tags May Change, arch illager, villager life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:21:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28158987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VeeVeeTheArtist/pseuds/VeeVeeTheArtist
Summary: Banished from his tribe, Archie knew his fate was sealed. Or at least he thought he did. Archie knew he could not survive the wild. After stumbling across the Squid Coast Village, Archie decided to to test what little luck he had and see if the villagers would take him in.Little did he know, fate smiled on Archie and gifted him an unusual friend to help him
Relationships: ALL PLATONIC
Comments: 7
Kudos: 24





	1. Prologue

Welcome to my little MineCraft fan fic! I am very excited to share this story with y’all and I hope you enjoy it as much as I wrote it!!

Let’s begin shall we?

~~~

Today is a good day for Archie. The small illager trotted down the halls of his manor, his steps muffled by the thick carpet. Archie had avoided a great number of his tribemates for much of the day. He had kept quiet and hid in the dark shadows of the manor's halls. Clutched close to his chest is a freshly made loaf of bread. The warmth and delightful smell made the small illager smile. Usually all illagers ate their meals in the large dining room on the bottom floor however Archie, today at least, decided to opt out. Stopping, Archie carefully listened for any signs of other illagers.

...

...

...

With a sigh of relief, the small illager padded to a large wooden pillar. The thick dark wooden beam cast a shadow, the perfect spot for a small illager like himself to hide in. Archie felt pleased with himself, it’s not everyday he could get his hands onto something this filling! Leaning against the tall wooden pillars, Archie hungrily bit into his prize. As he chewed, Archie carefully scanned the hall for signs of oncoming illagers, ready to squeeze himself into a nook if needed. Archie, what with being so small compared to everyone else, could have his meager dinner easily taken away . It happened before and no doubt it’ll happen again, despite whether or not the opposing illager is hungry. Archie knew it was just a show of power, his shoulders drooping at the thought. Thord in particular enjoyed stealing whatever food Archie could get a hold of. So many hungry nights were caused by him...

Speaking of the evoker… Archie paused in his chewing, tilting his head to one side to listen. He could hear some heavy footsteps quickly approaching. Swallowing, Archie tucked his bread between the folds of his clothes then jammed himself deeper into the shadows and held his breath. As the footsteps grew closer and closer, Archie could hear the evoker cursing under his breath. Judging by the amount of swear words, Archie assumed the patrol did not end well,

Suddenly, Thord turned sharply to the left and for a split second Archie thought the evoker had found him. Yet fate seemed to be on his side for once as Thord simply yanked a door open and marched into the room, leaving the door open. Huh… Seems like in his haste, Archie had hidden himself near the library. There was some muffled shuffling around the room, then Archie could hear voice.

“Thord, you’re back early.” Came the stern voice of the leader of the tribe. Archie could just imagine the disapproving look on Walda’s face. Archie could hear Thord stomping his way to Walda, practically seeing him throw up his arms in frustration. 

“ _ She _ appeared Again!” Thord bellowed. Archie flinched, oh boy does he sound  _ mad _ . “That… That meddling Hero! Swooping in and messing with MY patrols!”

“ _ Thord…  _ Enough.” Walda said with a warning tone. More shuffling, Thord quieted himself to a low grumble, he knew it’s better to obey her than to continue with his ranting. “Now, calmly tell me what did the Hero do this time?”

Archie uncurled himself then leaned ever to slightly closer to the doorway, taking great care not to fall out of the dark. The small illager heard Thord snort in discontent then some rustling, most likely the evoker crossed his arms tightly to his chest.

“We were patrolling the southern side of our territory as instructed.” Began Thord, his tone gruff with annoyance. “Everything was going to plan, nothing new to be seen, when-” He grumbled “-That  _ stupid Hero _ jumped us. Leaping out of the tree line, swinging that blasted hammer. Most of my men are injured thanks to her. We were forced to retreat...”

There was a moment of silence, Archie imagined either Walda nodding her head thoughtfully, closing a book she’d been holding or turning her body to completely face Thord. Perhaps all of the above for what Archie knew.

“I take it you did nothing to provoke this attack?” Walda asked, then receiving a hiss from Thord. 

“ _ Of course not _ !” Thord snapped. “It was completely unprovoked! We didn’t even come close to her  _ precious  _ village.” Suddenly, there's an intense pause... Archie had to strain himself, trying to hear anything. HIs ears heard a soft murmur, possibly Thord apologizing to Walda, not many could be so terse towards the tribe leader and get away with it. The murmurs continued in the library and Archie decided that perhaps it was best to take the quiet moment to find another spot to eat.

Climbing to his feet, the small illager softly patted his way up the hall and away from the room. His thoughts turned towards Thord’s report. Most likely the evoker had exaggerated a few details, or… all of them... He has a habit of doing that, Archie was sure that Thord must have done something to upset the Hero. Whatever happened in that part of the forest, the small illager is sure about one thing and that’s this Hero is causing a lot of trouble with his tribe. For that past six months, the Hero had challenged the tribe in territorial disputes. Laying claim to land near and particularly around the Squid Coast village. From what Archie heard from the many reports, this hero is fiercely protective of that village and land around it.

Rounding a corner, Archie came across the stairs that lead to the third floor of the manor. Peering left then right, the illager scurried over and under the stone steps. Sitting down in the cool darkness, Archie pulled out his slightly flatten bread from his coat. Leaning against the hard and cold stairs, Archie’s mind continued to mill over the Hero.

As Archie quietly finished this meal, the illager prayed and hoped that he would never meet this fearsome Hero. A little illager like him would surely not survive the encounter.


	2. Chapter 1

Weakling…

Worthless…

"You need to leave… NOW!"

Exiled…

Homeless…

Those words circled around Archie's mind, over and over they repeated. Staring down at his feet, the small illager slowly walked down the gravel path that led deep into the dark oak forest and further away from his tribe… His family… Archie scowled as he hugged his chest. Family… Families are supposed to look out for each other, to protect one another. Yet they casted him out without hesitation, rather believing a clearly lying Thord instead of listening to his pleas.

It wasn't his fault that a hoard of zombies decided to attack Thord's patrol party. Archie remembered being sandwiched in the middle of the group, trying his best not to get thrown to the ground while also keeping up. As far as he was aware, no one really kept watch for hoards. Plus no one expected that red headed hero to show up out of nowhere to pick off the survivors! Archie grumbled quietly to himself, scowling at the ground as he walked.

A sudden strong wind caused Archie to pause. He shivered in the cold, pulling his thin coat around him tighter. Looking up from his feet, the small illager realized he is very lost. He swallowed thickly, a cold sense of dread washed down his spine. His eyes darted around, swirling his head this way and that, trying to find any sort of hostile mob. The forests here are thick and they blocked out the sun, it is common to find zombies and skeletons taking shelter here.

Licking his lips nervously, Archie decided it was best to keep moving. The sky started to grow dark and Archie knew it's a death sentence to stay out at night… As the sky's colors changed from brilliant pinks to red then to a dark blue, the small illager's pace picked up in speed. He needed to find shelter, any kind of shelter really. A nook on the side of a small hill , a hollowed out tree trunk, or even a hole in the ground. Anything that'll shield him from the monsters that crept in the night.

Archie began to slow down, panting hard. Leaning against his knees, Archie glanced around him. Honestly he felt like he had gone nowhere. He's still in the forest, still surrounded by tall dark oak trees, and still exposed in the dark. The only difference is now his feet hurt and his legs trembled from his running. Straightening his back, Archie pondered on which way to go. He needed to make his decision soon and fast. As the illager scanned the forest for any possible threats, Archie paused then squinted. In the darkness, he thought he saw a small flicker of yellow. Hope sprang up in his chest. That could very well be a torch and when there are torches there is either shelt or a path that leads to safety.

With renewed vigor, Archie quickly weaved through the thick overgrowth and towards the light. As he grew closer to the light, Archie quickly discovered that it was no torch. Slowly down to a stop, Archie stared up in wonder. The source of the light came from a gold and yellow block embedded in the ground. It glowed warmly, glittering curiously in the night. Archie couldn't help him but to reach out and touch it. Lightly stroking the curious block, the illager discovered that it felt like stone. Glowing stone?

"Huh…" Archie mused, retracting his hand. He had never seen a block like this before. Looking up and away from the ground, Archie glanced to his sides then softly gasped. There were more of these glowing stones, all embedded in the ground and in a straight line. Sudden there was a groan behind him, startling the small illager. Whipping around, Archie feverishly looked around the area. For a moment Archie had forgotten why he was there, having been so enthralled by the curious stone. Another groan erupted from the darkness, this time closer… Breathing in sharply, Archie picked the right side of the glowing path and bolted in that direction.

Luck seemed to have favored him that night. The path he ran on began to shift from dirt to brick. Archie didn't have the time nor the correct mindset to admire the golden glow of the brick path. All this meant to him was that he is on the way to possible safety. The forest around him started to thin out and hope grew in Archie's chest. Soon the forest gave out to a sizable clearing and Archie forced himself to stop. The path had led him to a village.

High brick walls encased the village, protecting the denizens from the nightly monsters. Archie could just see the tops of the wooden roofs behind the wall. Near to his left, the walls opened up to an arching gateway. The dark oak gates were wide open, allowing just about anything to wonder into the village. For a brief moment, the illager thought about turning back. Villagers were the kind of people his kind enjoyed preying on. Their pacifist nature made them perfect targets for pillaging. The only real experience Archie had with villagers was on the raids he was forced to go on. He tried his best to just steal and take things and avoid harming anyone.

A wet growl shattered Archie's thoughts, causing him to jump and turn back to stare into the dark forest. His only two options were to either go back into the forest or try his luck with the villagers. Perhaps he can plead his case with them, show them he means no harm, and maybe, just maybe, they will allow him to stay? Honestly at this point, Archie would be happy just to huddle next to a torch in the dirt. Anything to keep the monsters away.

Another groan, this time sounding closer. This caused the small illager to lurch forward and towards the village's gates. Hugging himself nervously, Archie peered through the gates, looking around the silent village. Given that it's well into the night, all the villagers had tucked themselves into their respected houses. Archie counted that as a blessing, he didn't want to startle anyone into ringing the village's alarm bell before he could plead his case. As gently and quietly as he could, Archie slowly walked through the brick path. As he crept towards the closest house, Archie heard some heavy footsteps. Freezing, he turned to his left just in time to spot the hulking figure of an iron golem. The massive being of metal walked leisurely through the village, it's long arms swaying with each step. Yet Archie held his breath, he knew that it's on a patrol. Iron golems were the defenders of villages and will lash out at any threat. Luckily for the small illager, the golem had not spotted him and continued on its patrol. Only when the golem rounded a corner and disappeared from sight did Archie release his breath.

Quickening his pace, Archie hurried over to the nearest building. He stood staring up at the door that led into the house. Archie fidgeted, picking at the hem of his coat. He knew this was a bad idea, one that would backfire almost at once yet the small illager didn't know what else to do. It was either hope that this villager would be willing to listen to him or go back to the mob infested forest.

Taking a deep breath, Archie raised his fist and firmly knocked on the door. He felt his heart beating against his ribs as rustling could be heard within the house. A moment later, light filled the room as the inhabited lit a torch. A curious face peered through the window next to the door. For a brief moment, Archie saw the face of a villager woman. Her eyes widened at the sight of him and she quickly opened the door. For a heartbeat, the two just simply stared at each other. Eager to keep the woman from screaming, Archie grinned what he hoped was a harmless smile. He slowly raised a hand up in innocent greeting, doing his best not to tremble.

"Sorry to bother you." He said, "But I'm stuck outside tonight."

A beat of silence. The villager blinked owlishly at him, thinking he is simply the product of her sleep deprived mind.

"You don't belong here." She said, her tone confused. She raised an eyebrow as she eyed him up and down. "You must be lost."

"I am lost." Archie replied, shifting slightly. "I don't have any idea where I am."

Holding his hands together, he braced himself for the worst. Despite that, he felt hopeful that maybe this could work out. After all the women had not started screaming in fright at the sight of him. The villager squinted at him, unsure if he's not a figment of her imagination. Turning her head slightly, the villager said in a careful tone.

"We're in the village on the Squid Coast. Where…"

Archie didn't hear the rest of what the villager said. His mind went blank when she said they were in the Squid Coast Village. The village that a particular hero lived near. A hero that his tribe tries to avoid.

Oh… Oh No. Archie tensed at the realization that somehow he wandered into that Hero's territory. His breathing became labored and his heart thundered in his chest.

"Hey? Hello? Are you listening?" Came a voice. Archie blinked hard, remembering he had awakened a villager. She still had a look of confusion, her eyes flickering over his face. Archie didn't bother trying to conclude his fear.

"W… We're in T-The Squid Coast?" He stammered, gripping his hands so hard he felt some of his fingers going slightly numb. He hoped beyond hope that she was just playing a cruel joke on him. Surely not...

"Yes?" The villager replied slowly. That's all Archie needed. The woman gasped in surprised as he quickly shoved his hands down to his sides and turned sharply.

"Ok! Sorry to wake you! Thanks and Good Night!" Archie squeaked before bolting towards the gates. Coming here was a mistake.

"Oy! Stop!" He heard the village sound behind him. Archie had no plans on stopping any time soon. Archie sprinted as fast as his tired legs could carry him, he'll risk dealing with the monsters. Surely it'll be better than enraging a protective hero. In his panic, Archie didn't hear the ringing of a large bell. All that mattered to him was leaving the village as quickly as he could.

The illager was quarters ways towards the gate when an iron golem rounded the corner of a building. Archie yelped out in both surprise and fear. He had to stop mid run or else he'd crash into the legs of the iron golem. He turned slightly and fell to the ground. Before he could get up to take off again, the massive hulking being reached out and grabbed Archie by the collar. Archie squirmed in it's grip, thrashing this way and that.

"Where do you think you're going?!" The woman snapped, striding her way from the village's alarm bell and toward Archie.

"Please let me go!" Cried out Archie, trying in vain to pry the fingers of the golem off of his shirt. "I just- I just wanted to find a safe place for the night!"

"Lies! The only reason your kind would ever come to villages is to loot and pillage!" She snapped back, crossing her arms and studied Archie. "Where's the rest of them?"

Archie quickly glanced at the gates, seemingly so far away, then turned back to the villager. He saw lights appearing in many windows, everyone in town had been awakened from the bell. Shuddering, Archie knew that meant the hero also heard it…

"I'm alone!" Archie exclaimed, now simply holding the hand of the iron golem. His knees trembled and threatened to give out. Tears stung his eyes. Choking back a sob, Archie pleaded with the woman. "Please please don't let that hero get me! I just- I don't want to die!"

The stern look on her face softened slightly, her brow arched up. Her shoulders drooped then she shuffled where she stood. She opened her mouth to say something, however, a much deeper voice cut through the silent night.

"Then you should not have come here, scum." Turning to his right, Archie saw another villager had joined them. A tall and broad shouldered villager with a wide brimmed straw hat marching over to him. He held an iron hoe in his hands and he held it like a weapon. Archie shrieked in fear, leaning away from the sharp need of the hoe.

"Salah! Put that thing away!" Called out the woman, putting her hands on her hips and giving the man a stern look. "I have everything under control."

The villager, Salah, just snorted dismissively. Standing a yard away, he planted the end of his gardening tool to the ground. Leaning against it, Salah gave the villager woman a look of disbelief.

"It doesn't quite look like you do, Yumi." He said, raising an eyebrow at her. Looking down at the trembling illager. Salah sneered, leaning away from his hoe then lifting it up. He took one step closer to Archie, causing the little illager to lean away the best he could. "He's a squirmy sort. Just back off and let the iron golem take care of him."

The woman, Yumi, scoffed. Turning to completely face Salah, she crossed her arms. Archie's heart beat wildly, his eyes flickering from Yumi to Salah then back to Yumi. Trembling in fear, Archie hoped beyond hope that this could not possibly get any worse.

"Beeeh…."

Archie whipped his head towards the gate, not expecting the groan of a zombie. Seemed like the zombie was attracted by the sound of Yumi's and Salah's arguments. In the warm glow, the zombie shuffled through the gates, arms raised stiffly and it's mouth hanging open. A Nasty thing it is. The Iron golem shifted in it's spot, as if contemplating on letting Archie go to attack the zombie. However… the golem didn't need to.

As the zombie shuffled, the small illager could see… something charging behind it. Archie saw a flash of steel then.

WHAM!

The zombie crumpled to the ground, it's head and neck practically destroyed by a great hammer. As the corpse fell, the owner of the hammer is revealed. It stood hunched over the rotten body, most likely making sure it stayed down. Leaning back as far as he could, the small illager stared at the hunched figure at the village's gates. At first he thought the figure was a rather large wolf, what with it's white grey fur and paws. However as the wolf stood straight up Archie's stomach dropped, a cold wash of dread spilled over him. This was no wolf…

"Ah! Just the Hero we needed!" Called out Salah, leaning back and spreading his arms. Then he pointed at Archie "Valkory! Come get this illager once and for all!"

The Hero, Valkory, turned her gaze and stared down Archie, blinked once then strode towards him. Breathing heavily, Archie could only tremble where he stood. With every step the hero took, the feeling of hopelessness and fear grew. This… This was the hero he heard from Thord's failed patrols. The one whom his tribe collectively avoided at all costs. The being that's going to end his life, Archie was sure of it.

A whimper escaped Archie's throat as he leaned back as far as he could. He barely heard his clothes rip slightly and the voices behind him. Every fiber of his being was yelling at him to run away yet the golem's grip was too strong, he could not escape.

As the hero stopped before Archie, towering over him. He could only see her eyes behind the snarling wolf helmet. One brown eye and one white eye. Both were staring down at him and deciding his fate. A thousand terrified thoughts spun around in Archie's head, making him feel dizzy. Was he going to be crushed by their hammer? Would it be quick? Tears fell from Archie's eyes but he didn't look away, his body disobeying him. Leaning back and looking up, Archie's vision became murky.

He fainted on the spot.

Valkory watched the small illager's eyes roll up to the back of his head then go slack. She jumped slightly, loosening her grip on her hammer then leaned forward. Did… Did this illager faint? When the hero heard the village's bell, she thought of the worst. She expected a late night raiding party, or even a large horde of zombies had invaded the village she calls home. Not a tiny illager.

"Oh! Oh dear!" Called the voice of Yumi. Valkory looked up and away from the illager, watching the villager motion for the iron golem to let go. Yumi caught the small grey being before he hit the ground.

"Yumi don't touch him!" Snarled Salah, stepping forward from the crowd. "Just let Valkory take him away."

Yumi shot Salah a dirty look as she knelt in the grass, laying the illager's head on her lap. Valkory decided then to kneel beside her, not wanting to waste the chance to gain a closer look. Yumi glanced at Valkory with a slightly worried look, the hero gently raised a hand. She won't harm him. It would be a dishonor to strike him down while out cold.

The scarred Hero slowly took in the invader's appearance. At first Valkory thought that this illager was a child given his most striking feature about him was how small and thin he is. If he stood up straight, even standing on the very tips of his toes, this illager could barely come up to her lower torso. It was only when Valkory got a closer look when she realized that this illager is in fact, a young adult.

There was a sudden shuffle, causing the hero to look up. Salah had decided to step closer. At the moment, his eyes were scanning the front gates of the village. His posture is stiff and worrisome. No doubt spooked at the idea of an illager in his village. With a deep frown on his lips and a deeper scowl on his brow, the man then turned his hardened gaze on Valkory.

" Valkory... Did you happen to see any more illagers on the way here?" He asked, a worried edge in his tone. "If there's one, there's always more to be found."

Valkory tilted her head to one side, thinking. No... She didn't see any more Illagers on the way back. While good fighters, the illagers are not the most graceful creatures in the overworld. They crash through the forest like a wild boar searching for food. Also their light grey skin are always a dead give away against the dark foliage. Valkory shook her head then ran a hand through her hair and pushed her wolf helm off of her head. Salah hummed, glancing back at the darken forest.

"They must be hiding then!"

The Hero heard a snort beside her and she turned her gaze to Yumi. She had a small sneer on her lips.

"They must be hiding awfully well then." She mused, looking up from the illager resting on her lap. "Far out of sight that even our beloved hero couldn't find them."

Salah grunted in frustration at Yumi's brazenness, crossing his arms and staring down at her. Valkory pursed her lips, glancing at the two. There was a beat of silence, the two villagers staring daggers at each other. The village's Elder breathed out of his nose as his gaze returned to the small illager.

"Well either way, there is an illager here to cause trouble and the correct way to respond is to have it be dealt with by Valkory!" Salah growled, then looked over to the Hero and gave her an expectant look.

With a frown, Valkory began to stand back up. While she feels bad about throwing him back into the forest, it's her duty to protect the village first and above all else. However, before the Hero could so much as reach forward, Yumi hissed disapprovingly. Valkory flinched slightly, blinking rapidly at the stern stare Yumi gave her. The iron golem shifted in it's spot, responding to Yumi's emotions. Valkory eyed the golem warily and took a small step away from the metal being. She may be a seasoned warrior but one good hit from an iron golem could easily end her.

"She'll do no such thing." She declared, resting her hands on the small illager's shoulders in a protective manner. The hero gaped at the women while a murmur ran through the crowd behind Salah. What is she doing…?

"Yumi, what else are we supposed to do?!" Salah cautioned. "It's an illager and if there's no raiders here, now, this illager WILL come back with one! They cause nothing but death and destruction."

Yumi rolled her eyes. While she's not too fond of the illagers, this one here is different. Not only how small he is but also how he reacted to her and to the village's hero. No illager worth their sugar faints at the mere sight of a hero.

"Really now… That tribe of illagers has not bothered us since Valkory decided to stay." Yumi replied, firm in her tone. She rolled her head towards Salah and gave him a look that said 'how could you forget that?'.

Valkory watched Salah grind his teeth, a soft growl escaping his throat. He disliked how much he had to agree with Yumi. Ever since Valkory built her house just outside of the village and began to patrol the surrounding area, raids have all but stopped. The last eight months have been the most peaceful the village experienced in a long while. Still the villager leaned back slightly, trying to find other reasons to try to get the illager out of his village.

"Besides... He's harmless Salah." She added, looking at the elder and gesturing to the still out cold illager. "Not only did he try to run away from me when I mentioned our location, we all saw how he fainted when Valkory arrived!"

"Well... It could very well be attempting to trick us! Pretending to faint to get our guards lowered!"

"For what? What would a lone illager want from this village that he'd risk his life for?" Asked Yumi, clearly not buying Salah's excuses. She looked down at the small illager, Valkory followed her gaze. Poor fellow is still out of it. So much so that Valkory started to get worried. "Plus he seems like he's doing a pretty good job. So good that he hasn't moved for a good five minutes."

Valkory turned her head towards the old farmer, seeing how rigid he became. She sensed the rising tension between the villagers and that this argument is going in circles. Breathing out, Valkory leaned back slightly, thinking. She needed to find a simple way to please both parties. Which is a tall order… One believes that this illager is harmless and the other believes he wants to burn the village down. The hero mindlessly eyed Yumi's house, an average size home made out of brick and dark oak. Valkory suddenly blinked, an idea forming in her head.

The hero raised a hand and gently waved. Yumi and Salah were still arguing while she was lost in thought. Both villagers turned their attention to the hero with curious looks. Once all eyes were on her, Valkory reached into her pockets to pull out a well worn book with a pen tied to it. Taking the pen from the string, the hero opened the book and began to write. While she is not the greatest writer in the village, Valkory knew how to get her idea across.

The whole village stayed silent, waiting for the hero to write out her thoughts. The scratching of the pen seems deafening in the silence. Finally, Valkory turned the book around for all of the village to see. Yumi leaned forward, reading aloud the message for the whole village to hear.

'Allow me to house the illager. I will watch over him. If he misbehaves in any way then I will take the fault and deal with him.'

Salah straightened his back, looking offended that Valkory even suggested the idea.

"Absolutely No-" Began Salah, however Yumi swiftly and effortlessly cut him off.

"What a lovely idea!" She exclaimed, grinning. "This way we can keep a close on eye him, have the other illagers away, and truly see he's not a threat."

Yumi directed the last bit towards Salah. The Elder let out a loud grunt as he threw his hands into the air, knowing he had lost. It's one thing to deal with Yumi's legendary stubbornness but the moment Valkory sided with her, Salah knew it is best to simply accept defeat.

"Fine!" Salah barked, turning around. "When this all goes wrong, and it will, this is on your head. It's not a question if that little monster will cause trouble here… It's only a question of when."

With that final declaration, the village's elder marched back toward his house. Sensing that the conflict is now resolved, the crowd began to disperse. Valkory felt a pang of guilt as she watched him go, not used to seeing Salah this upset. With a sigh, Valkory looked down at the illager on Yumi's lap. She bent down and gingerly scooped up the small illager into her arms, holding him close to her. He's much lighter than she thought, Valkory barely felt him in her arms. Yumi saw the look on the hero's scarred face, the villager gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It will be alright Valkory." Yumi said, smiling softly. "I promise."

Valkory returned the smile. Holding the Illager with one arm, she reached back and behind her, the hero placed her wolf helm back on her head before turning to the gates. While marching to her house with Yumi in tow, Valkory idly wondered what she got herself into.


	3. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning; this chapter is has not been beta read! It'll be updated later, I just really wanted to published it. So please forgive me for any mistakes! ヾ(•ω•`)o
> 
> Edit 3/5/21: Some grammar fixing.

Warm… He felt warm and safe. Archie curled up tighter in the soft wool covers, gently nuzzling his pillow. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt this cozy. Well, it doesn’t matter now. So far no one in the mansion has bothered him thus Archie’s sleepy mind decided to simply enjoy their warm bed. And yet… Something nagged the illager. With a frown, Archie felt like he was forgetting something. Something really important…

Realization hit the illager like a falling anvil. Archie does not own a bed and he is not in the mansion. What happened last night flashed through his mind. The banishment, the wondering, the village, the Hero.

**THE HERO!**

Jerking up from the covers, forgetting the warm bliss it gave. Archie wildly looked around the unfamiliar room. Fear gripped his mind as his eyes darted around. On any other occasion, Archie would have found the place to be nice. The room was primarily made out of dark oak planks, shelves dotted the walls, a potted brush in a corner, and yellow carpet lined the floor. Light streamed in from a tall window, heating the room to a cozy degree. Leaning forward, Archie could only see leaves from the dark oaks meaning he’s somewhat high up from the ground. Looks like he’s not climbing out the window. Which is probably a good thing, Archie doubted his climbing abilities… Looking back into the room, Archie noted an oak dresser sat at the base of the bed the illager rested on. On top of the dresser is an open book and a yellow candle next to it. Crawling toward, Archie curiously looked at the book. There was some kind of writing on it, with a ‘hrm’ Archie sat back down, frowning. He wished he could read…

Deciding that now is the best time to see if he could leave quietly, Archie gently slid off of the bed and onto the carpeted floor. Pleased he didn’t make a single sound, Archie slowly crept forward and towards the door. Holding his breath, he pushed the door as lightly as he could muster, not wanting to risk the door handles to squeak. Mercifully, there was no sound and soon Archie stood in the halls of this strange house. Red and blue checkered carpet ran across the short hall, Archie spotted more glowstone embedded in the walls, and there were some potted plants lining the walls. With no sign of the house’s owner, Archie timidly shuffled down the hall and towards a set of stairs.

All seemed to go according to plan, Archie actually felt hopeful. Perhaps he could just slip back into the forest, far from the Hero and the village they guarded. He could take his chances with the mobs, at least they can be slow and dumb. Landing on the ground floor, Archie turned a corner and all hopes of a quiet escape disappeared. There, sitting on the living room couch, is a villager. Archie recognizes the villager as Yumi, the one who ordered the iron golems. Why was she here?! Archie quickly turned and started his way back up the stairs, mind racing to come up with a different plan. Hopefully Yumi didn’t see him.

“Oh! You’re awake!”

Oh Nether… Archie flinched, turning his head to look over his shoulder and at the villager. Yumi had got up from the couch, arms folded into the sleeves of her long robes. She held a soft smile, which confused the illager.

“You’ve been out for so long, I was getting worried!” She said. There was a beat of silence, the villager cleared her throat, then straightened her back. “Oh, how rude of me, I almost forgot to introduce myself. My name is Yumi! Yumi of the Squid Coast village.”

She bowed slightly. “And you are?”

Another beat of silence, Archie didn’t say anything. He stood stock still, holding his hands against his chest. Breathing in deeply, Archie croaked out in a shaky voice.

“Archie….” Yumi’s smile turned into a worried frown.

“I am not here to hurt you, I promise.” She said gently, hoping to calm down the frightened illager. Archie hummed nervously, swallowed thickly before slowly lowering his hands. He reminded himself that this a villager, pacifists by nature. Plus if she really wanted to hurt him then she had plenty of opportunities to do so. No, his main worry was…

“W… Where’s that Hero?” He asked, glancing around. So far he has not seen the hero anywhere in the house. Not knowing made the illager nervous…

“She’s outside.” Replied Yumi, nodding her head towards a set of double oak doors at the far end of the room. Archie leaned over to one side and past Yumi, spotting the doors and the tall windows beside them. From where he stood, Archie can just see a figure standing in front of the doors. Once he saw the wolf helm, his heart began to race and his breathing picked up a notch. Seeing Archie’s distress, Yumi quickly began to shush the illager in a gentle tone. She walked slowly towards him, Archie’s eyes snapped towards the approaching villager. He sucked in a breath and held it.

“Hey hey,” Yumi murmured, kneeling down and placing her hands on his shoulders. Archie stiffened, chin tucked in and shoulders raised. “Valkory is NOT here to harm you. She’s here to watch you.”

Surprised at Yumi’s words, Archie held out his breath. Watch him? Watch him do…. What? Sensing Archie’s confusion and hoping to further calm him down, Yumi continued. 

“Our hero has convinced the village to allow you to stay!” Yumi exclaimed with a smile. Whatever train of thought that Archie crashed at Yumi’s words. That Hero, Valkory, convinced a whole village to allow him in? “Of course there are some villagers that are nervous about you so to ease their fears, Valkory will be watching over you and to ensure that you won’t cause any trouble in the village.”

Archie owlishly blinked at Yumi, slowly his body relaxed. While he is still spooked by the Hero’s presence, hope trickled into his heart.

“Sh-she really did that? For me?” He managed to ask, playing with the hem of his shirt. Yumi nodded, removing her hands from the illager’s shoulders. Carefully folding them back into her sleeves, Yumi got up from the ground then strode towards the door. Archie sensed that the villager wanted him to follow yet he hesitated. Going outside meant facing the Hero and that’s the last thing he wanted to do. Yumi stopped just before the doors, she turned to see Archie still staying at the base of the stairs.

"I promise you everything will be ok. You will be ok. So long as you’re under Valkory’s watch, nothing bad will happen.” She soothed, her tone warm and comforting. “Afterall, you’re in her house.”

Archie jumped slightly at this new piece of information. Glancing around, the illager just assumed the place belonged to a rather fancy villager. Truly if this Hero wanted his dead, she would not have allowed him to sleep in her haven. Seeing the logic behind Yumi’s words, Archie took a deep breath, straightened his back, then padded over to Yumi. The villager smiled happily. There was a brief moment of silence, perhaps Yumi allowed a moment to pass so that Archie could brace himself, then the villager opened the double doors.

Sunlight briefly blinded the illager, Archie raised a hand to shade his eyes. He blinked then froze when he spotted the hero a few yards away. There, the Hero from last night stood guarding the front door of the house. Valkory, upon hearing the doors creaking open, turned around and curiously looked over at the duo. Archie couldn’t decide if seeing the hero in the sunlight made things better for him. She stood a whole block taller than him. The hero held her head up high and proud, her great hammer resting on the ground with her hands firmly placed on the top of the hilt. 

Valkory nodded at the two, turning completely around to face them. She tilted her head to one side, her eyes resting on the small illager. Well, eye. In the sunlight Archie noticed her right eye is covered up by a dark grey cloth. Blinking hard, Archie forced himself to break eye contact. Archie, then, began to notice a few new details, such as her dark red hair poking out from the bottom of her helmet. Her right arm is completely covered by leather armor and her left lower arm is wrapped up completely with a white cloth. Wolf skin wrapping around her shoulders, covering her chest, hips, and all of her lower part of her legs. The clothes under the skins had many patches and stitches. Archie eyed the scars that poked out from her left arm wrappings, he could see a slash and a bite mark. He idly wondered if a zombies had bitten her.

“Good morning.” Yumi grinned, walking boldly towards the hero. Archie stayed rooted to the spot at the door post and watched in amazement as the villager got right up to the hero. “I take it you slept well enough?”

The Hero nodded, smiling softly at Yumi. Valkory didn’t say anything, just tilting her head towards Yumi and gave her a questioning look.

“I slept fine, thank you for asking.” Yumi answered the Hero’s silent question. Valkory breathed out a quiet sigh, seemingly satisfied before she turned her attention towards Archie. He shuffled slightly, his breath caught in his throat. Seeing his discomfort, the Hero raised a hand then taking a step back. Archie relaxed slightly, just ever so slightly. The two being stared at each other, one fearfully, the other curiously. Yumi glanced at the both of them, chewing on her bottom lip.

“Uh… Hi?” Archie managed to croak out, raising a trembling hand. The hero nodded but not saying anything. Confused, Archie glanced over at Yumi, with a pleading look. The Hero realized her mistake with a frown. She tilted her head back, exposing her throat, His eyes widened as he noted the scars. The Hero then ran her fingers down her neck. Pulling her hand back she made a dismissive gesture. Archie starred in confusion. Yumi smiled sadly, leaning forward and towards Archie.

“Valkory is mute.” The villager exclaimed. Archie’s eyebrows shot up, mute? He quickly looked back at the hero’s throat. The Hero shuffled, seemingly uncomfortable with Archie’s gaze on her scars. She tugged on her wolf pelf up, hiding her neck, before turning to the side. Valkory nodded towards the village then glanced up at the mid morning sky.

“I suppose you’re right.” Yumi commented, “We should get going.”

Valkory is the first to move, walking towards the dark oak gates and pushing it open. She stepped out of the court yard, turning her head to look into the forest. Yumi was the second to leave the yard, standing in front of the Hero and turning around to look at Archie. Swallowing, the illager slowly made his way out, body stiff and his hand tightly gripping his shirt. He pasted the gates and now stood awkwardly in between the hero and the villager. Valkory turned to look down at Archie, blinking slowly with her one eye, her hammer neatly by her side. Archie stared up at her, intimidated by her presents. Then she did something that surprised the illager. Looking away, Valkory took a few steps away from Archie, turning around and walked towards Yumi, stopping just shy of standing beside her. Now Archie stood alone in front of her house. The hero slowly extended a hand towards the village, palm up and relaxed. At first the illager didn’t know what to make of this, the gears in his mind grinded away before it clicked. Valkory is giving him an option.

‘Will you come with me to the village?’ She silently inquired. Archie was stunned by this, she could easily herd him into the village, forcing him to be under her watch, and yet she’s asking him. He studied her hand, relaxed and open, then turned his head towards the dark forest. Valkory is giving him a way out too. He could easily spin on his heels and flee into the darkness. It would be the easiest answer for everyone, he supposed. He could just disappear into the forest, returning to whenever he came from and the village and could all go back to their lives. He’ll become nothing but a memory to these people, something they’d grumble or crack jokes about over lunch, and soon forget about. Archie shuttered at the thought about returning to the forest and facing all the dangers. If he goes with the hero and Yumi, he is at least guaranteed some form of housing and protection. Taking in a deep breath, Archie nodded at the hero, stepping towards her and onto the brick path that led to the village. Valkory smiled warmly and yumi hummed approvingly. 

“All right, just follow me and stay close.” Yumi advised, taking the lead. Archie quickly followed the villager while Valkory lagged behind to guard the two individuals. 

Archie picked at the hem of his shirt once more, staring straight ahead and at Yumi’s back. His heart hammered in his chest, forcing the illager to take deep breaths as he walked down the brick path. Yumi walked in front of him, staying close. Archie didn’t mind her, it’s the presence behind him that made him nervous. He can hear Valkory’s footsteps, each one sounding heavier than Yumi’s. While he is glad that the hero had convinced the village to take him in, she still scared him. Heroes are not put in a great light by his fellow illagers and with good reason. Just one Hero can easily dispatch a whole patrol with little effort. The illager’s gaze slowly lowered to the ground, watching the ground pass as he walked. There is not much he can do about the Hero, so Archie just has to accept the fact he is going to see her a whole lot for the next few… Weeks? Months? The small illager realized he didn’t know how long Valkory was going to shadow him, he did not like that idea at all.

“Hey,” Yumi announced suddenly. Archie jumped slightly then looked up and at the villager. She gave him a soft smile. “We’re here.”

Blinking, Archie glanced around. Oh, they made it to the village already, and… Archie stood only inches away from the closed gates. A small brush creeped to his creeks, he got so lost in his thoughts, he almost walked right into the gates! Yumi chuckled ever so lightly, stepping forward and pushing the gates open with both hands.

“Relax, everything will go smoothly. With Valkory around, they can see you’re not going to harm anyone.” She comforted, folding her arms back into her sleeves. Archie breathed out before nodding. Squaring his shoulders, the illager followed Yumi into the village with Valkory tailing behind them. 

The village, in Archie’s opinion, is beautiful. Compared to the dark and sometimes cramped mansion, the Squid Coast village is much much nicer. Each house is made out of brick and dark oak, big enough to house two villagers comfortably. In between each house were a dazzling array of flowers, most Archie never seen. Blues, pinks, yellows, even purple flowers dotted the free space. All complementing the house very nicely. As the trio walked deeper into the village, the inhabitants quickly noticed the odd bunch. Archie felt vulnerable, hearing whispers and felt stares against his back. In the naked light of the day, Archie was sure, and hoped, that he looked much less threatening. However, he didn’t know if anyone thought of him as a threat after he fainted late night… Nether, just the thought alone made him want to find a hole to curl up in, he felt embarrassed.

“Hey Valkory!” “Good Morning Hero.”

Archie blinked, hearing a spattering of voices from the bustling crowd. Looking behind him, the illager watched as a few villagers greeted the Hero. Valkory returned each and every greeting with a small smile and a nod, taking care not to miss any villager. While Archie knew that villagers favor Heros and often go to great lengths to keep them around, it was odd for the illager to see how fond this village seemed to be for the local hero. Perhaps Archie was just biased, having never seen Heros interact with villagers before. There was just so much he didn’t know about life outside of the mansion or his tribe.

“All right, here we are!” Said Yumi, once again pulling Archie out of his thoughts. The illager realized they made it to the center of the village. A large well rested in the heart of the village, a few villagers crowded around it and chatted away. Archie could also see some children running around and playing, their laughter can be heard above the crowd.

“Here is the centre of the village. I brought you here so you can learn which paths go where.” Yumi began to explain, pulling out a hand. She began to point as she talked “Generally speaking to the North is the gates, south is the docks, to the east is where we keep most of our animals, and finally to the west is where most work stations.”

Archie turned this way and that, looking over where Yumi pointed. He tried his best to store this important information, he did not want to get lost and end up somewhere not allowed. 

“Today I figure we should introduce you to the village then tomorrow we can find you some work to do.” Yumi continued, glancing around and deciding where to go first. As Yumi stood there, thinking, a group of children ran past Archie. The illager had to sidestep to avoid being bowled over. One small child in purple robes suddenly cried out.

“VAL!!” The child practically threw herself onto the legs of the Hero. The other children soon called out to the hero. For a moment, Archie held his breath, his mind immediately assumed the worst. Instead, Valkory knelt down, a broad smile on her face. The child in purple let go of her legs and now latched onto her neck, giggling.The illager let out a breath, watching the children bounce around the hero. Together, they all begged Valkory to either play with them or tell a story. Archie was not sure how the hero could tell stories, considering she’s mute, but she must have her ways since one child asked to recount the tale of how she fought a band of witches.

“Children.” Yumi called out, having quickly noticed the group. “I am really sorry but Valkory is not here to visit.”

There was an immediate cry of dismay that quickly transformed into pleas of just an hour of playtime. Some even hugged the Hero, looking up at her with big tearful eyes. Valkory just smiled sadly, reaching out and gently stroking their smooth heads. 

“Later?” Asked one.

“Please! You’ve been away for sooo long!” Pleaded another.

Valkory made a big show of thinking, swaying this way and that, as the please continued. Yumi chuckled while Archie just stood there in confusion. This must be a regular occurrence. Finally Valkory nodded and the children cheered, dancing around the hero before the group because to trot off to a different part of the village to play in. The child in purple robes gave the hero one final hug then chased after the group.

“You’ll meet them later.” Yumi trilled, watching the group round a corner then disappeared. She motioned for Archie to follow her. Glancing where the children disappeared, Archie pursued the villager west. For the remainder of the day, Archie learned the places and faces of the village. The west side teemed with villagers working their craft. The illager heard the clanging of smiths, the creeks of looms turning, and splashing of leatherworkers. Yumi guided Archie around, introducing him to the villager’s workers. To Archie’s greatest amazement was just the warm welcoming. The Villagers had smiled and returned the greetings, some even welcomed him to the village! It boggled Archie’s mind that they accepted him in so quickly. Back at the mansion any newcomers have to fight for their worth, his tribe would not take in any slackers.

Yumi made sure to take today as slowly as she could. Archie quickly understood why, he underestimated how large this village was. Rows upon rows of workshops lined the roads with even more villagers milling in and around them. He met many new faces, their names and their occupations. Arylo the cleric, Xu the baker, Byron and Chandra the two smiths, Zuri the shepherd, Felix the librarian, Farouk the tailor, Nanuq the cowhand, and Liam the cook. It was almost too much for the small Illager, and this was just scratching at the surface! There were clearly more villagers to learn about. Yumi assured the illager he got plenty of time to learned about everyone, there is no rush.

As Yumi guided Archie around the village’s work stations, Archie would sometimes glance back and watch as Valkory greeted the workers. It amazed him how relaxed she is around the villagers and vice versa. She would extend a hand, taking the workers. She listened to their questions, taking out a well used book from a pocket and writing down answers before leaving. The illager simply could not wrap his head around how comfortable everyone is around Valkory, did they not know she could destroy this place without breaking a sweat? Or how a single strike with her hammer could end them all? No, they all would come to talk to her as if she is an old friend. Archie blink turning back to look ahead, maybe she is an old friend to some villagers.

The trio made a full loop of the west of the village and now found themselves back at the well. Archie stood in silence, blinking rapidly while digesting a mountain of new information. 

“I know it’s a lot to take in.” Yumi commented, watching Archie with amusement. “Which is why I thought it would be appropriate to spend the first few days introducing yourself.”   
  


“T-there’s more?” Sputtered Archie, leaning back in surprise. Yumi laughed good heartedly. 

“Oh of course! Not every villager works here or even has jobs!” She chuckled, hiding her smile behind a sleeve. Archie’s head spun at the idea of meeting more villagers, this surely can surely out number his tribe! Movement from his left broke Archie’s train of thought. He turned around then jumped slightly as Valkory approached. Her posture was relaxed and her hands empty, the small illager wondered where her hammer went. The Hero thrusted her head up and towards the sky. Glancing up, Archie realized that it was growing dark, had he really spent the whole day talking to the village? And he’s not done yet?!

“Oh!” Yumi exclaimed, surprised herself. “Wow, I did not notice the time. Heh it sure does fly by when you’re having fun huh Val?”   
  
The hero smiles, responding to Yumi’s comments with a slow nod. As the trio began to return to the Valkory’s house, Archie milled over today’s events. Everyone here was so friendly, they all had some form of smile and greeted him with kindness. It distrubed the illager how relaxed they all were. Shaking his head slightly, Archie glanced back at the village, watching the gates close and barring the trio out. Perhaps they could afford to, having such thick walls and a doting Hero to protect them. The same Hero that opened her doors to him, most literally and metaphorically. 

Later that night, after a hearty meal, Archie laid on his back in bed. It still baffled him that a hero, A HERO, convinced a village to allow him to stay and earn his keep. If anything, the hero should have squished him with her great hammer on sight. Rolling over to his side, Archie stared into the darkness as his eyelids slowly closed. Maybe… Maybe this will not go so bad afterall.

**Author's Note:**

> Edit 1/3/21: fixed some spelling and grammar mistakes


End file.
